Press Releases
RI Delegation Announces $3.8M to Hire 28 New Firefighters & Enhance Public Safety
SMITHFIELD, RI - In an effort to help local fire departments effectively respond to emergencies and keep our communities safe, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline today announced $3,848,921 in federal funding to help the Cumberland, Saylesville, Smithfield, and Woonsocket Fire Departments hire and train new firefighters and $6,819 to help the West Warwick Fire Department purchase a new thermal imaging camera. The federal funds are be… Continue Reading
08.23.18
Whitehouse Statement on Kavanaugh Meeting
Washington, DC - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement regarding his meeting with Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh today: "Judge Kavanaugh could not give me assurances he would uphold statutory protections that prevent Americans with preexisting conditions from losing their health care. He also could not commit to upholding the lawful use of subpoenas against the White House or the president, as affirmed in United S… Continue Reading
08.23.18
Reed, Whitehouse Announce Official Nomination of Wing Chau for RI Marshal
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse announced today the official nomination of native Rhode Islander and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Senior Special Agent Wing Chau for Unites States Marshal for the District of Rhode Island. The Senate Judiciary Committee, on which Whitehouse serves, will now consider Chau's nomination before moving to the Senate floor for confirmation. The White House first announced Chau's nomination last week. Chau … Continue Reading
08.21.18
Whitehouse Slams Trump Rollback of Clean Power Plan
Washington, DC - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, released the following statement on the Trump administration's decision to gut the Environmental Protection Agency's Clean Power Plan to limit carbon pollution: "This proposal guts a solid and sensible plan this country put forth to fight the pollution driving climate change, and replaces it with a fossil fuel handout. The funding of the Republican Party by the fossil fuel industr… Continue Reading
08.20.18
Whitehouse Presses Grassley for Kavanaugh Documents on Leonard Leo and Federalist Society
Washington, DC - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, asked Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley (R-IA) to use all the tools available to the Committee to provide the most complete picture of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh's record. As the Committee steams toward early September hearings for Kavanaugh, Whitehouse points out that Grassley has created a state of "procedural limbo" where Senators can review but may not be able to question t… Continue Reading
08.17.18
Senators File Formal Comment on EPA Science Rule
Washington, DC - Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Tom Carper (D-DE), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Kamala Harris (D-CA), and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) have submitted a comment to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on the agency's proposal to exclude important scientific studies from its rulemaking process. The rule would cast aside unbiased, rigorous, peer-reviewed research critical to informing decisio… Continue Reading
08.15.18
Whitehouse Calls on Kavanaugh Dark Money Campaign to Disclose Donors
Washington, DC - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, pressed a trio of secretive conservative groups for information on who is backing their multi-million-dollar campaign to select and confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. Whitehouse's letters to the Heritage Foundation, the Judicial Crisis Network, and the Federalist Society raise a number of questions about their fundraising practices and anonymous donors, including whether they have received… Continue Reading
08.15.18
Providence Fire Department Nets Nearly $1M Federal Grant
In an effort to help the Providence Fire Department enhance training and safety, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline today joined with Providence Public Safety Commissioner Steven Paré to announce $993,309 in federal funding for the Providence Fire Department through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program. The Department will use the funding to provide additional training… Continue Reading
08.15.18
Whitehouse Cheers Request for Report on Starr-Kavanaugh Grand Jury Leaking
Washington, DC - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a former United States Attorney, issued a statement today on a request to a federal court by the watchdog group American Oversight seeking to unseal a court-ordered report on possible violations of grand jury secrecy laws by Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh: "Divulging grand jury information is a serious offense that no judge will take lightly. It can put witnesses at risk, compromise import… Continue Reading
08.08.18
Whitehouse, Senate Democrats Condemn Trump Administration for Rescinding Civil Rights Guidance Promoting Diversity in Education
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) has joined Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), along with 20 other Senate Democrats, in a letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos condemning their decision last month to rescind civil rights guidance promoting diversity in education. "With almost daily attacks from your Administration on the protections for immigrants, women, children, people of color, people with disabilities, … Continue Reading
08.03.18
Whitehouse Condemns Trump Administration’s Escalating Attacks on the Media
Washington, DC - Following the Trump administration's decision to ban CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins from a press event after she questioned President Trump on his relationship with his former attorney Michael Cohen, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) joined Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and eight other senators to introduce a resolution condemning the White House's attempts to restrict media access and affirming the importance of a free and unfettered press. Over the previous weekend, Vi… Continue Reading
08.02.18
Whitehouse, Alexander, Rounds, Booker Introduce IMAGINE Act to Spur Use of Innovative Materials in Rebuilding American Infrastructure
Washington, DC - Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Mike Rounds (R-SD), and Cory Booker (D-NJ) have introduced the Innovative Materials for America's Growth and Infrastructure Newly Expanded (IMAGINE) Act, to encourage research and deployment of innovative construction materials in transportation and water infrastructure projects nationwide. Investing in these new techniques and materials would help to extend the life of critical public works that draw increasingly poor… Continue Reading
08.02.18
Whitehouse Statement on Trump Fuel Standard Rollback
Washington, DC - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, released the following statement on the Trump administration's proposal to roll back critical fuel economy standards for cars and trucks: "Automakers acted proud of themselves for committing to this plan under President Obama - and they should have been. The standards would save American motorists $1.7 trillion over the life of their vehicles, and reduce the pollution driving clim… Continue Reading
08.02.18
Senate Approves Bipartisan Whitehouse Amendment to Encourage Kelp Farming
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) today announced that the Senate has passed a bipartisan amendment designed to help encourage growth and job creation in the emerging kelp farming industry. "Kelp is good for human health and good for our environment and oceans," said Whitehouse. "Our bipartisan amendment will help the promising ocean-grown kelp industry, which is just getting started in Rhode Island." Whitehouse's amendment, which was cosponsored by Senators Lisa Murkow… Continue Reading
08.02.18
RI Fire Departments Receive $107K to Purchase Gear & Improve Safety
Today, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline announced $106,668 in federal funding to help the Central Falls Fire Department, Kingston Fire Department, and Albion Fire District purchase needed equipment and gear to help them better serve their communities. The funding is being awarded through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program. The Central Falls Fire Department will use $59,… Continue Reading
08.01.18
Whitehouse, Rubio, Wyden Legislation to Tackle Money Laundering through High-End Real Estate Clears Senate
Washington, DC - Today, Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Ron Wyden (D-OR) succeeded in passing bipartisan legislation to lay the groundwork for expanding a U.S. Department of the Treasury initiative to crack down on foreign nationals laundering money through high-end American real estate. Passed as an amendment to a government funding measure, the senators' legislation requires the Treasury Department to issue a report on its program that collects shell corporations' … Continue Reading
08.01.18
Whitehouse Calls on Trump Administration to Reverse Course on Damaging Proposed Changes to Title X Women’s Health Care Program
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) has joined U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and 43 other senators in a comment to Secretary Alex Azar at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) strongly opposing the Trump Administration's proposal to restrict the Title X family planning program and reduce access to health care for millions of women. The senators called on the Administration to reverse course and revoke its planned changes. "As U.S. Senators, we are deeply con… Continue Reading
07.31.18
Whitehouse, Markey, Merkley Push CEQ Nominee Neumayr for Answers on Ocean Policy
Washington, DC - Senate Oceans Caucus Co-Chair Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and fellow Oceans Caucus members Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) pressed President Donald Trump's nominee to run the White House's Council on Environmental Quality, Mary Neumayr, on her views on important federal initiatives to help protect and manage ocean resources. During her confirmation process, Whitehouse, Markey, and Merkley pressed Neumayr on her views on the Trump administration's new federal ocean… Continue Reading
07.31.18
Time To Wake Up: To Davos or not to Davos
Mr. President, the big oil companies-particularly Exxon, Shell, BP, and Chevron-want us to believe that they've turned over a new leaf, that they're finally in favor of climate action. All four of them claimed to support the Paris Agreement. And Exxon, Shell, and BP all claim to support putting a price on carbon emissions; a price that would reflect the costs of the damage climate change inflicts on the environment, the economy, and public health. For example, here's Exxon's website: "ExxonMo… Continue Reading
07.27.18
Whitehouse Slams Republican Stonewalling of Key Kavanaugh Documents
Washington, DC - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement regarding the refusal by Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley (R-IA) to request critical documents related to Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh's work as a senior advisor to President George W. Bush: "The current occupant of the Oval Office is under investigation for obstruction of justice and may soon test the Supreme Court on questions of executive powe… Continue Reading
